Organizers of "Eurosatory" arms exhibition intend to appeal against a ruling that Israeli companies can't take part

The organizers of the important "Eurosatory" arms exhibition that will take place this week in France intend to appeal the ruling issued by the country's court last week, which categorically prohibits Israeli companies and businessmen from taking part in the exhibition.

Although the organizers, in coordination with the French government, decided to limit the Israeli presence at the exhibition, officials in the country said that the court's decision, which can be interpreted as a prohibition including the participation of Israelis in the event, does not express their intention and is not acceptable to the French Ministry of Defense.
According to the court decision published this weekend in the French media, the presence of Israeli companies and Israeli businessmen at the event will be prohibited. The organizers' original decision only concerned the arms companies, and did not impose restrictions on businessmen with Israeli citizenship.
An official in France said that some of the publications on the subject were wrong, and noted that the policy that will be enforced in practice concerns Israeli companies, not private individuals. "A French or German who works for the Israeli company Elbit will not be able to take part in the event, but an Israeli who works for Apple International, indeed can," the French source noted.
The decision to limit the Israeli presence at the exhibition expresses anger on the part of France towards Israel against the background of the war in Gaza. The announcement of the ban caused an Israeli counter-reaction, during which Defense Minister Yoav Galant announced that Israel would not cooperate with France in efforts to reach an agreement and prevent war in Lebanon. "France has shown hostility and enmity against us while blatantly ignoring the atrocities committed by Hamas terrorists against children and women just because they are Jews," Gallant wrote on Twitter, in Hebrew, English and French. "We will not be partners in the committee to regulate the security situation on the northern border if France takes part in it."